Saints story to be played out on stage

ST JOHNSTONE and Perth Theatre are teaming up to create a new show about the club and the role it plays in the city.

A co-operative project will see key parts of the club’s history acted out on stage and fans are being asked to get involved.

Supporters will be at the heart of the story, so they are being asked to share their memories and stories of the club.

From witnessing Steven Anderson’s opening goal and Steven MacLean’s clincher at Celtic Park in 2014 to celebrating Shaun Rooney’s League Cup-winning header at Hampden last month, Perth Theatre wants to know what it was it like to be part of a crowd of die-hard fans.

Fans are being urged to tell stories from long ago or last season and share what St Johnstone means to them personally, from favourite managers, players, tea ladies or other connections.

Lu Kemp, artistic director at Perth Theatre, said: “At Perth Theatre we want to tell great stories that speak to the very heart of our audience and St Johnstone strikes the heart of so many locally.

“We hope to tell a story which is familiar and surprising, recognisable and thoughtprovoking but most of all a story which is funny, packed with banter and song, and which makes fans want to get on their feet and cheer.”

St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson, who is the club’s top flight record appearance holder, said: “It’s really exciting news that the club will be the subject of a new play by Perth Theatre.

“We’ve been part of the Perth community for a long time and it’s a great thing for us to be recognised in this way.

“Football is all about the supporters and it’s only right that they will be at the heart of this production and will be able to share their stories on what the club means to them.

“I live in Perth and have played for the club for 11 years, so St Johnstone means a lot to me.

“I have my own connection with the club and I’d encourage supporters to submit their own memories to the theatre.”

Perth Theatre will also be running Team Talk, a series of online presentations and discussions where famous fans of the club share their own memories with fans.

Famous Saintees who have already signed up for the talks include Stuart Cosgrove, Colin McCredie and Eve Muirhead.

More information will follow as dates are confirmed.

Local groups will be able to get involved in a range of specifically-designed activities on the theme of football memories as the project unfolds.

Submitted stories, which should be true, short and sweet and are to be no longer than 300 words or three minutes in length, can be written down or sent as a voice recording to saintsfc@horsecross.co.uk, 07813 396517 or uploaded as files to Perth Theatre’s DropBox on the Sainties on Stage page.